Automatic air and steam coupling.



J. E. HOWARD & E. M. KNOTHE.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM COUPLING.

APPLIOATION FILED 23.14, 1913.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

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27771 1% K710 ZZ HE NORRIS PETERS CO" PHOTO-LITHQ. WASHINGTUN. D. C.

J. E HOWARD & E. M. KNOTHE.

AUTOMATIC AIR AND STEAM COUPLING.

APPLICATION FILED 33.14, 1913.

1, 1 30,601. Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

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Illlm awe/M6014 Howard HE NORRIS FETERSICOHPHDNLITHU-Y WASHflVGmN. D.

JOE E. HOWARD AND KNOTHE, OE SEATQLE, WASHINGTON.

AUIOMA'QIC AIR- .AND STEAM COUPLING.

Specification of Letters Batent. Batented Mar. 2, 1915.

Amman as Far -WY .9 ser a N 4 8 1 To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, J on E. HowARo and EMIL M. KNorHn,'residing at Seattle, in the county of King and State of l/Vashington, citizens of the United States, have invented a new Automatic Air and Steam Coupler for Any Cars with Air Equipments, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved means for/connecting the pipes of a train and the principal object of'the invention is to provide a device which will so connect the pipes that they will be securely con{ nected, but so connected thatthey may. easily be disconnected when desired.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved type of coupling means which will permit the pipes to be connected when the cars are on a curve.

Another object of the invention to so construct the coupler that the pipes will be prevented from being wrenched apart by unevenness in the track-bed.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a side view of a pair of cars with the pipe couplings in a position to be joined. Fig. 2 is a fragmentary end view of one of the cars with certain portions of the pipes shown in section. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal sectional view through the pipe coupler of one car. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one of the couplers with the head shown in section; Fig. 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional view showing the manner of forming tight oints between the ends of the pipes. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 6-6 in Fig. 4.

In the drawings, the numerals 10 and 11 indicate two cars which are provided with the usual gravity couplers l2 and which are each provided with the improved coupling means for the pipes 18. The coupling means for each car is the same so that a description of one of the coupling means will suffice for both. This coupling means comprises a T-bar 14:, which bar is slidably and pivotally mounted in a supporting frame 15 having its arms 16 secured to the bottom of the car. A spring 17 is carried by the frame 15 between the upper and lower bars of the frame and engages the inner end of the T-bar as shown in Fig. 3, so that the T-bar will be normally held in this position with the securing bolt 18 at the rear end of the slot 19 which is formed in the T-bar.

This spring 17 may be soldered to the inner end of the frame 15 or may be secured therein in any suitable manner which is not deemednecessary to be herein shown for retaining the spring in its correct position.

A hollow head 20 is pivotally connected wlth the neck 21 by means of the pivot pin 22 and is thus permitted to have vertical pivotal movement. The spring 23 is carried by the stem 21 of the neck 21 and engages the head 20, as shown in Fig. 3, 0 that the head will be yieldably held in the pos tion shown and thus permitted to move vertically to compensate for any jolting due to going over rough places in the road-bed. This neck 21 is pivotally connected with the T-bar having its stem 21 passed through an opening in'the end of the T-bar thus forming a swivel joint. A washer 21 is placed upon the inner end portion of the stem and a' cotter pin 21 is passed through the stem to prevent withdrawal of the stem. The pivotal mounting of the T-bar permits of horizontal side play and it will thus be seen that the heads 20 will at all times be in the proper. position. i

A pointed finger 24 extends from one side of the head 20 and is intended to fit within the socket 25 of the adjoining head so that the heads 20 of the two cars will be connected and prevented from having any transverse movement. It should be noted, however, that this coupling means for the two heads is of such construction that if the train is broken in the middle, the two heads may easily come apart and thus the train pipes prevented from being wr enched loose.

The train pipes 13 are connected with the short nipples 26 which extend from the head 20 beneath the sliding block 27 mounted in the head. Each of these blocks is provided with a conduit 28 which extends partially through a" ring 29 and is yieldably held in this position by the springs 30. When the blocks are in the normal position shown in Fig. 3, the conduit 28 will be out i that when the couplers of the two cars come will abut against eachother and move the car. The rings 29' should be made of some material such asrubber so that these rings will form air-tight joints and thus prevent leakage between the rings. 1

The operation of this device may be easily understood fromrthe foregoing description. From this description it will be readily seen together, the points 24 of the pipe couplings will enter the sockets 25 and the rings 29 block 27 inwardly to the position shown in Fig. 5. VVhen in this position, the air will be permitted'to pass from the pipes of one car to another. In case the gravity coupler should break and a car become detached from the rest of the train, the points 24 will readily slip out of the sockets25 and thus disconnect the heads 20, and prevent the trainpipes from beingwrenched loose. The manner in which the T-bar 14L is mounted permits the train pipes to be connected and disconnected on a curve 'as 'well as on a straight length of track, and also permits the cars to turn a curve without any danger of the couplings forthe train pipes being wrenched'loose. The spring 17 takes up jolts caused when stopping or starting a train, and also assists the springs'30 in keeping the rings 29 of the two couplings in tight engagement.

What. is claimed, is

-1. A train pipe coupler comprising a frame, a spring carried within said frame, said frame provided with laterally extending arms adapted to engage the body of a car for holding the frame in its correct po- Copies of this patent maybe obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

sition, a T-bar slidably mounted within said frame, said T- bar provided with a longitudinal slot, a bolt passing through said slot and engaging the outer portion of said frame thereby limiting the outward movement of said T-bar and also holding said frame together, said 'T-bar provided with a coupling means at its outer end, said spring being adapted to' yieldably hold said T-bar in position.

2. A train [pipe coupler comprising a frame, said frame provided with" laterally extending arms adapted'to engage a car for holding the. frame in position, a T-bar slidably mounted within said frame, resilient means carried within said casing for holding said T-bar in an extended position, said Tebar provided with a longitudinal slot, means passing through said slot for limiting the outward movement of said T-bar, a neck rotatably mounted upon the outer portion of said bar and extending into said slot, a washer engaging said neck, means for retaining said washer, whereby said neck may have rotary movement, and ahollow head pivotallysecured to said neck, means carried by said head for forming a coupling for train pipes, said resilient means adapted to yieldably hold said T-bar in position, and said neck adapted to allow the coupling to swing or pivot when necessary.

JOE IE. HOWARD. EMIL KNOTHE. Witnesses p FRANons'A. LACY,

RAYMOND LA SHAPELLE.

Washingtomhd. 

